Thomas S. Abbott in his U.S. Pat. No. 7,179,166 provides a background for the evolution of games. Various games, and devices to implement those games, have been known for centuries. Some games involve highly specialized physical skills where a player pits himself on a common playing ground against other players. Examples of this type of game would be golf or bowling. In other games, players play each other with usually the more skillful prevailing. Games like racket ball or tennis are examples of this type of game. Other games where players are pitted against each other involve almost entirely mental skills developed through playing of the game. Examples of this would be chess or checkers. Other games where players are pitted against each other introduce an element of chance, usually, through some kind of random number generator-like device. Examples of this might be a poker game or bridge.
On the other hand, some games have been adopted to be used in casino-like gambling settings. Here, ordinarily, randomness plays a much larger role than does the skill of the player. Also, one ordinarily plays the house as opposed to the other players. For many years, this type of gambling was illegal in most states. However, within the last two decades, the spread of casino-like gambling, where the house bankrolls the games and pays the players, has become common and widespread, with many states legalizing certain types of gambling.
For this type of gambling and the gaming devices which are used for this type of gambling, the regulatory climate is very complex. There are federal laws that relate to gaming devices and interstate gambling. Moreover, each state has its own set of gambling laws and frequently within the state there may be jurisdictions that are outside of those laws or at least are not strictly bound by those laws (i.e., Indian reservations). Thus, there are some jurisdictions, like Nevada, where virtually any type of gambling device is allowed although the gambling industry is closely regulated. There are other states, like North Carolina, where very few, if any, gambling devices are permitted and where pay offs, even on skill-based games, are strictly limited.
Traditionally, games were played mechanically with a deck of cards, with a roulette wheel, with a pair of dice, with a wheel of fortune or keno wheel, or the like. The random outcome of the gaming device resulted from the shuffle of the cards, the roll of the dice, or so on. However, with the advent of electronic computers and compact central processing units, it has been possible to play games using electronically generated cards, dice, reels, wheels, and the like. The electronic control of the indicia of the game allows the operator of the game ordinarily to completely control the outcome of the game.
States that do not allow gambling devices or “gaming” devices where there can be a large money pay out may, nevertheless, allow coin operated devices where a player may receive a strictly limited reward oftentimes in various kinds of merchandise. These games are sometimes called “redemption” devices. For example, in state fairs or carnivals where one throws a baseball to knock dolls off a shelf or uses a rifle to break clay pigeons and, if successful, one is rewarded with a teddy bear or some similar prize of relatively low value. This is usually permitted in states that do not allow any other types of gaming or gambling devices. This type of game is also seen in video arcade settings where one may win credits that can be applied toward free play of other games or even small prizes, again, like teddy bears, other stuffed animals, or the like. Usually, in redemption games, some element of skill is required to be successful.
Grazebrook in U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,368 discloses an electronic version of the children's game of “Snap”. The object of the “Snap” game is to be the first of two players to voice the term “snap” when, from a random stack of cards that each player has, a player turns over matching cards. The Grazebrook '368 patent provides that either two individuals may play against each other or an individual may play against the machine where the machine's response is controlled by a variable time delayed circuit. Morrow et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,820, discloses a computer implemented electronic game that involves completion of a puzzle by the use of simulated slot machine reel. Davids et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,536, discloses a game machine with a video type display that is controlled by a microprocessor or CPU. The processor uses a program to generate images of playing cards. A player uses an input device to select a moving card and direct its movement toward a selected card position and a selected one of the card hands locations. If the player does not select a card in time, it is automatically placed on one of the card hand locations by the machine on a random basis. Kelly et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,763, discloses a pointer that rotates on a display face. Control mechanisms allow a player to stop and start rotation of the pointer. A game score is determined based on where the pointer stops on the game face.
A commonality among traditional games is that the game usually has a limited number of players. Board games have one winner and finite beginning and end.